The Jane – West Village Hotels

The Jane is a luxury hotel located in the West Village neighborhood. A chic, classic New York hotel, The Jane is constantly frequented by the who’s who of New York, including Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, who are often spotting brunching at the hotel’s restaurant. The Jane is known for its history; it was originally built as a hotel for sailors with cabin-like rooms in 1908 and was was lovingly restored on its centennial in 2008. In 1912, the survivors of the Titanic stayed at the hotel until the end of the American Inquiry into the ship’s sinking.  The surviving crew held a memorial service at the hotel four days after the ship sank. During the ‘80s and ‘90s, the hotel was part of downtown New York’s bohemian culture, hosting Hedwig and the Angry Inch and the Million Dollar Club, amongst many other rock-n-roll events.  The hotel has continued to house guests with more dash than cash ever since.

Features and Amenities

Rooms in the hotel all follow the sailing theme, and come in a few different varieties. Bunk bed cabins, which clock in as a cozy 50 square feet, can accommodate two individuals. Each cabin features a bunk bed, 300 thread count cotton sheets, flat-screen TV, DVD player, iPod dock, free WiFi, telephone with voicemail, and in-room safe.  All Bunk Bed Cabins share the communal bathrooms located at the end of the hall on each floor.

Standard cabins, which are reminiscent of ship’s cabins, are adorable and cozy. Each cabin features a single bed, 300 thread count cotton sheets, flat-screen TV, DVD player, iPod dock, free WiFi, ample storage, telephone with voicemail, and in-room safe. All Standard Cabins share the communal bathrooms located at the end of the hall on each floor.

Those looking for luxury over character will prefer the Captain’s Cabins. The Captain’s Cabins feature full, queen or king beds and Private Bathrooms. These cabins are approximately 250 sq. ft., and each Captain’s Cabin features 300 thread count cotton sheets, flat-screen TV, DVD player, iPod dock, free WiFi, telephone with voicemail, and in-room safe. The private bathrooms feature rainfall showerheads, marble sinks, and C.O. Bigelow amenities.  All rooms have river views and/or terraces.

Guests at The Jane enjoy free WiFi throughout, cable TV and DVD players in all the rooms, telephones with voicemail, air conditioning, iPod docks, 24-hour front desk concierge, complimentary bicycles, multi-lingual staff, access to the High Line park, in-room safes, a Hudson River adjacent location, and across the street parking.

The Jane also features an in-house restaurant, Cafe Gitane, an eatery that appears better suited for Paris than New York. A beloved French Brasserie, Cafe Gitane is great for celebrity spotting. Baked feta and a mix of olives and orange slices with crusty bread are easy ways to start off, and although the tagines can be little dry, the meatballs in spicy tomato sauce, with hard-boiled eggs, cucumber, and a drizzle of yogurt, are an inventive standout. But really, you’re not here for an epic meal—Gitane is all about sipping a glass of Bordeaux or shot of espresso while sitting at one of the sidewalk tables and ogling the fashionista traffic.

Location

The Jane is located in the storied West Village at 113 Jane Street at the Hudson River.  The hotel is adjacent to the Meatpacking District and walking distance to Chelsea, Soho, and Union Square.  A quick stroll through the neighborhood will reveal its countless restaurants, bars, nightclubs and boutiques.  Across the street from the hotel at the Hudson River Park, guests can live as the locals do, enjoying any outdoor activity from a jog or walk by the river to a bike ride to sunbathing on the piers.  The Jane is close close to the A, C, and E trains at 14th Street and the 14th Street bus.

Abingdon Guest House – West Village Hotels

Abingdon Guest House, named for the nearby park, Abingdon Square, offers guests a warm and inviting residential ambience with all the modern conveniences. Abingdon Guest House consists of two landmarked 1850′s Federal style townhouses located in Greenwich Village, one of Manhattan’s most charming and historic neighborhoods, for decades the center of New York’s artistic and intellectual life. Both homes are fine examples of period architecture, updated to provide modern comforts. Each room has its own distinctive decor. Located in the brownstone-lined, boutique-dotted West Village, the Abingdon boasts an inviting residential ambiance that combines an authentic neighborhood vibe with all the modern comforts. Since there’s no resident innkeeper, the house is best for independent-minded guests who prefer artistically-outfitted, one-of-a-kind accommodations and genuine New York ambiance over a generic Midtown hotel.

Features and Amenities

All of the rooms are artistically done in bold colors and outfitted with well-chosen art and furnishings; each can be previewed on their Web site, so choose the one that best fits your personal style and budget. No matter which one you choose, you’ll get a superior-quality mattress and linens; cozy bathrobes; a telephone with your own answering machine; and a private bathroom that’s en suite (in room) or just outside your room, in the hall (rooms with adjacent hall bathrooms are cheapest). The best (and most expensive) is the Ambassador Room, which has a witty British Raj theme and a kitchenette with microwave, VCR, and sleeper sofa for a third person. The Abingdon is best for mature, independent-minded travelers, since there’s no regular staff on-site. The thoughtful style and privacy make it ideal for an affordable romantic escape, but friends traveling together won’t feel out of place (in fact, two rooms feature two twin beds).

Location

The West Village neighborhood is terrific, with good restaurants and boutiques. High fashion shops from Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney mix with wholesale butchers in the Meatpacking District of the West Village. Mainstream names such as Ralph Lauren and Marc Jacobs are found alongside boutiques such as Old Japan, which sells vintage Kimonos, all on Bleecker Street. The tree-lined irregular streets and charming 19th-century town houses and appealing boutiques of the West Village have a far more colorful and quaint atmosphere than most neighborhoods in the city. The Village is New York’s most vibrant and tolerant district. With a variety of art galleries, off-beat shopping and nightlife including jazz, rock and dance clubs, restaurants, bars and cafes, the Village is home to a colorful mélange of college students, artists, writers, and many others simply seeking an urban alternative.

By the early 1900s, the Village had fully established itself as the center of radical thinking in the United States. Famous reformers, artists and intellectuals all gathered here, and many still do. For centuries, New York’s Greenwich Village was home, playground, and inspiration to many of America’s leading writers and artists – Henry James, Edith Wharton, Eugene O’Neill, Theodore Dreiser, Stephen Crane, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Willa Cather, e.e. cummings, Allen Ginsberg, and Bob Dylan. Winslow Homer had a studio here, as did other painters such as Thomas Eakins, William Merrit Chase, John Sloan, Isamu Noguchi, Edward Hopper, Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollack, and countless others. These days, it’s the playground of artists and famous folk alike. You’ll find Sarah Jessica Parker walking her kids to school and Brooke Shields on the playground across from Magnolia Cupcakes on Bleecker Street. Whether you’re looking to shop, wine, or dine, the West Village has it.